One of the most important spiritual practices in our Christian walk is writing things down. This spiritual practice is why we have the Scriptures today, starting with the prophets of the Old Testament, who wrote down what God spoke to them. God even told the prophet Habakkuk, "Write my answer in large, clear letters on a tablet" (2:1, NLT).

Write Down the Past - Journaling

Journaling is a vital spiritual practice in which we write down impressions God is putting on our hearts, prayers to God and Scriptures that are speaking emphatically to us. You never know what your journals will be worth someday. Mark Batterson shares in his upcoming book Primal, "Leonardo da Vinci carried a notebook with him wherever he went. It's estimated by some that da Vinci left fourteen thousand pages of notes to Francesco Melzi in his will. Nearly seven thousand pages still exist, and in case you care, Bill Gates purchased eighteen pages for $30.8 million in 1994. Da Vinci's napkin scribbles ranges from botany to anatomy to philosophy to painting" (p. 107).

Write Down the Present - Post it Notes

Post it Notes are the key to many people's success. Batterson also shares about "idea stewardship" in his upcoming book. Not only are we to take sinful thoughts captive to make them obedient to Christ, but also to capture creative thoughts and ideas and keep them in our minds - to do all God has called us to do. Incredible! Write down daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals and to do lists in order to do all God has set in your heart to do. Daily goals are especially important - Abraham Lincoln often said, "Never save for tomorrow what you can do today."

Write Down the Future - Bucket List

Make a list of spiritual, relational, mental, health and just for fun dreams in your life. What do you hope to accomplish and what has God put in your heart to do? These dreams, like balloons, when tied to you like a string through your post it note goals, take you farther and higher in your life than you ever thought you would go.

Write it Down for Others - Books and Blogging

It's hard to underestimate the exponential power of writing down your life lessons for others through blogging and books. Writing a blog allows anyone in the world to read what God has given you in one millisecond. Writing a book allows you to "preach" in a thousand different places at once and time travel to future generations to expose them to the message God put on your heart. John Wesley didn't start writing until a time when he got sick and could only preach once a day (normally he preached 3-5 times a day). It was this sickness that allowed him to write down thoughts and commentary of the Scripture, a simple, tedious act that lives far beyond him and was used in discipleship of his societies far more exhaustively than even he could preach and travel while he was still alive.